recently came across a news report about a simmering controversy over textbooks in the Punjab. An Islamiyat textbook had apparently committed the unforgivable sin of printing a photograph of a crucifix. You see, someone had mistakenly selected a picture of a church in Spain that used to be a mosque many centuries ago. Allowing such an image would, of course, be offensive to delicate Muslim eyes and so the textbook was being recalled.

Taken in isolation, this episode is not worth getting worked up about. A firm shake of the head, a silent tut-tutting and it's time to move onto a juicy story about a bloated politician. Given what we know about the spread of an intolerant ideology, that has permeated not just education but is rapidly encompassing the entire country, however, and it becomes slightly more sinister.